


crosswords

by slythos



Series: dream peculiarities [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Wait for it, Welcome to my mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-04-30 18:09:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14502624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slythos/pseuds/slythos
Summary: Donghyuck wants to play. Renjun just wants to finish his puzzle.





	crosswords

**Author's Note:**

  * For [watercolornights](https://archiveofourown.org/users/watercolornights/gifts).



> for annie. 
> 
> this... i have no excuse for this. enjoy!

"What is it with you and nerd things?"

Renjun looks up and laughs. "Nerd things?"

Donghyuck nods at everything on the table in general; stacks of Marvel comics piled up by series, random books scattered all over at his side of the table, along with booklets of puzzles and crosswords. A lone Rubik's cube sits dangerously close to the edge next to his arm, one slight mistake can end them up in a very messy situation. "Those nerd things."

"They make efficiently good companions during the dog days." Renjun shrugs.

"I have a console we can play with," Donghyuck suggests.

"Nah. Thanks."

Donghyuck looks at the window, admiring the patch of golden square on the ledge cast by the sunlight. "Or we could go out. And play with the swing and the slide."

Renjun doesn't even look up this time. "I doubt Doyoung hyung will let us."

Donghyuck grunts because a very strong point has been made. Besides the fact that Renjun wants to keep holed up in this sickly empty and white room with his comics, there's Doyoung. Tall, somehow guarded despite his soft smiles and soft voice whenever he addresses them. Treating them like kids. Ha. Donghyuck is 15. Technically not a kid anymore. Doyoung obviously doesn't care. He comes by in their room after a few hours with a tray of water and pills in his hands and an annoyingly soft smile. At night, he tucks him in his bed with a glass of milk and a soft whisper of good night. It's almost sweet. Almost. If only Doyoung doesn't spend his time ignoring Renjun completely.

"That's okay," Renjun says whenever Donghyuck brings it up. "I don't want those yucky pills anyways."

The pills aren't really yucky. They're white and tasteless and the water washes it down his throat before his taste buds can catch anything. Donghyuck only puts on a disgusted face whenever he takes them to make Renjun laugh.

"Maybe we could ask Taeyong hyung," Donghyuck bounces in his seat. "He's a lot nicer than Doyoung."

Taeyong is another hyung they've seen around, who hangs out a lot with Jaemin from next door. On a couple of occasions, he tried asking Jaemin to trade hyungs with him but seems like it doesn't work that way. Doyoung always returns with his guarded smiles and Taeyong always slips inside Jaemin's room when its time even with Jaemin's consent to switch. Donghyuck doesn't find it in him to ask Doyoung about it though, even if the older has frequently coaxed him to talk to him. 

"Donghyuckie, tell me if you need anything hmm?"

Donghyuck just stares at him during these times, hoping Doyoung would catch up and finally stop ignoring Renjun who's literally lying next to Donghyuck in his bed. Renjun laughs, and Doyoung's gaze sweeps past him by a second before leaving.

"He's so annoying." Donghyuck will say after Doyoung steps out.

Renjun will keep laughing. "He really hates me doesn't he?"

"What the heck did you do again?"

Renjun's eyes glint in mischief. "Some bad kid stuff. They're all ignoring me."

Donghyuck wonders exactly what kind of bad kid stuff had he done to earn a collective cold shoulder from Doyoung and the others. And also what kind of bad kid stuff is Renjun even capable of when all he wanted to do all day is stay in their room and surround himself with all these nerd things.

He won't even play Mario Kart with Donghyuck.

Renjun puffs air up his bangs. "Why don't you go ahead? I have to finish this."

"What exactly is that?" Donghyuck scoots over the couch and hooks his chin over Renjun's shoulder, peering down unto one of his puzzle books.

"It's a crossword puzzle. Do you know how to play these?"

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, nuzzling his neck. "I don't consider it playing if it hurts my mind like heck."

"It's not so bad. It's actually pretty easy. Look," Renjun points at a row of empty boxes and then at a bulleted items at the bottom of the page. "Here are the clues to filling the boxes. You have to think of the right words that fit those clues and you put them right here."

By demonstration, Renjun traces his finger along the clues and silently fills the boxes with the word he had in mind with a noisy _scritch scritch_ of his pencil against the page. The word fits right in the row, filling each box with a letter. Renjun beams at him and Donghyuck grins back.

"Wow," Donghyuck breathes. "that was so fun."

Renjun shoves him to the couch, making Donghyuck laugh out loud. "Shut up!"

Donghyuck struggles to get up with all his laughing and tumbling back onto the couch. He catches sight of a teapot and some cups Doyoung left for them and heaves himself off the couch to pour himself a drink. "Want some tea Mr. Crossword Puzzle?"

"Sure."

Donghyuck pours another cup to the brim, carefully sliding it across the table and swiping books and comics out of the way as he goes. Renjun doesn't seem to mind. He looks too caught up in one particular column of boxes with his pencil in between his teeth in concentration. Donghyuck folds his knees under the coffee table, and sits close to Renjun, eyes never leaving him as he takes his first sip.

He takes advantage of Renjun's reverie to admire his adorable frown and teeth grazing his lips occasionally. Donghyuck takes an untimely sip because of it, scorching his tongue and throat in fire. "Ack! That's hot!"

"What is?" Renjun snaps up, eyes wide.

"Uhhh," Donghyuck bites his tongue (bad fucking idea) to stop himself from saying _"you"_ and winces as the burnt muscle screams between his teeth. "The tea. The tea. I, uh, burned myself."

Renjun shakes his head. "You big klutz."

Donghyuck scoots closer. "What are you stuck on? You look like you have diarrhea."

"This one," Renjun points at the page. "It says something that is 'sometimes annoying, but is incredibly pretty and adorable, and lights up Renjun Huang's whole world."

Donghyuck frowns at the paper trying to find those things he said as he takes another careful sip.

Renjun scribbles the letters D-O-N-G-H-Y-U-C-K inside the boxes in English and grins. "There. It fits."

Donghyuck chokes on his tea, burning his throat and mouth for the second time. He successfully spits on Renjun's puzzle book, large wet patches of tea dotting it as Donghyuck wipes his mouth.

"Ya Donghyuck Lee!"

"Wait, don't get mad! Let's talk about how you called me pretty and adorable and the light to your world—Ow! My ear!"

"You messed my book!"

 

 

* * *

 

 

Doyoung stops at the door, sighing as he catches Donghyuck's boisterous laughs from the other side of the room with an occasional call of Renjun's name.

Taeyong turns to him then to the door, no doubt the same thought swims inside his mind.

"Poor kid," Taeyong says.

Doyoung nods. "I knew those puzzles won't help. But they're the only things he can remember him by."

"What are you gonna do?"

Doyoung balances the tray in one hand, laying the other on the knob. "Try to help him more."

He turns it and gives the door a slight push, swinging the tray carefully inside. It looks the same as ever, the lone coffee table in the middle of the room still dotted with stacks of comics and puzzles with Donghyuck sitting among the mess. His laughs are cut short the moment Doyoung enters, a rubik's cube dumps to the floor with a soft crash as the pieces scatter.

Donghyuck eyes the pieces, then turns to look up at Doyoung who smiles at him sadly. "It's time for your vitamins, Hyuckie."

"Hey Doyoung hyung," Donghyuck speaks for the first time, making Doyoung stop and blink in shock.

"Uh. Yes?"

"Do you have a spare cloth on you or something? I spilled some tea on Renjunnie's puzzle book."

Doyoung feels a tiny prick on his chest when he mentions Renjun, glancing at the space next to him on the floor.

Nothing's there.

He gulps, then tries to keep himself together. "Yeah. Sure. I have a hanky for you."

Donghyuck takes the offered handkerchief and diligently wipes the spoiled page. "There. It's better now. I can clearly see you writing my name!"

Doyoung peeks and sees empty boxes in the page of the crossword puzzle with no traces of pencil lead. It crushes him even more when Donghyuck looks up to him expectantly, a tiny spark of glee shining in his eyes.

"Hey Doyoung hyung. I need something."

"Y-Yes?"

"I need you to please stop ignoring Renjun and forgive him already," Donghyuck turns to the empty space next to him and grins. "It's okay you big baby. Doyoung hyung likes me. Plus he said I should tell him if I need anything."

Doyoung stops biting his lip when Donghyuck turns to him again with a wide, hopeful smile. "You'll do that right?"

**Author's Note:**

> i'll let your imagination work. :)
> 
>  
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/meoksin)


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